The present invention generally relates to shortening compositions that contain whole butter or the like and that are microbially stable at room temperatures. More particularly, the shelf-stable shortening compositions according to this invention contain enough butter or the like so as to provide an exceptionally close match for the taste of butter, and the compositions are formulated so as to provide a system that is shelf-stable and that does not require refrigeration. Preferably, the compositions are also pourable at room temperatures. The shelf-stable compositions contain a relatively low level of water that is supersaturated with a salt component and/or a preservative component.
Shortening products that are easy to handle and convenient to store have been developed over the years in an effort to provide substitutes for butter or margarine that are more convenient to use and store and that are less expensive and have lower cholesterol levels than whole, real butter. Often such products are formulated so as to be pourable, and they also often respond to the objective of being stable both from a microbiological standpoint and from the standpoint of being stable against phase separation. Typically, these types of products are non-dairy compositions, which greatly simplifies problems associated with stability, especially the problem of maintaining microbiological stability of a non-refrigerated product.
These types of non-dairy products, whether they are pourable or not, do not provide an entirely satisfactory butter flavor and taste. No real butter is included and, therefore, artificial and/or natural butter flavorings are used in order to attempt to approximate the taste and flavor of real whole butter. Accordingly, products have been developed that incorporate real whole butter with margarine formulations in order to arrive at a product that more closely resembles real whole butter. These products typically require refrigeration in order to achieve acceptable microbiological stability, and these products are typically ones that are not pourable, but they are in stick form, or are non-pourable plastic compositions that are distributed in tins, tubs or other wide-mouthed containers.
Accordingly, there is a need for shortening products that include real dairy components in a manner such that the flavor of these products more closely approximates that of real whole butter and that do not rely exclusively upon artificial butter flavorings in order to attempt to achieve this result. It is furthermore especially desirable that such products be of the type that exhibit acceptable shelf stability even when stored under non-refrigerated conditions. A particularly difficult problem in this regard is to maintain stability against microbial growth even under room temperature storage conditions. For convenience of use purposes, particularly in connection with cooking objectives, it is especially desirable to have such products exhibit a pourable consistency under at least room temperature conditions, as opposed to product consistencies that are of a plastic or spreadable nature.
By the present invention, not only are shortening compositions provided which contain real whole butter or the like, but also they exhibit shelf stability, including microbiological stability under refrigerated or non-refrigerated conditions. It is also possible, if desired, to formulate such shortening compositions which are pourable at least at room temperature. An edible liquid base shortening component comprises a majority of the shortening compositions according to this invention, which further include up to as much as about 20 weight percent or more of real whole butter and/or butter substitutes containing significant quantities of dairy ingredients, together with not more than about 10 weight percent of water in combination with a salt and/or preservative that is in an excess amount relative to its solubility in the quantity of water present in the shortening composition.
It is accordingly a general object of the present invention to provide an improved shelf-stable shortening composition that contains real whole butter.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved shortening composition that is formulated with real butter or the like and that provides a close match for the taste of 100% whole, real butter.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved shelf-stable shortening composition that includes a dairy component while being microbiologically stable even when stored under non-refrigerated conditions.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved shelf-stable shortening composition that is both shelf-stable and pourable at room temperature conditions.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved shelf-stable shortening composition containing butter which is pourable and which does not have to be refrigerated.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved shelf-stable shortening composition that more closely approximates the flavor and taste of butter than do other shortening compositions that do not include any appreciable amounts of real whole butter or the like.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved butter-containing shortening composition that includes low levels of water supersaturated or at least saturated with salt and/or other preservative components.
These and other objects, features and advantages of this invention will be clearly understood through a consideration of the following detailed description.